I caught the sailing bug in 2010 and have grabbed every opportunity to sail since then. Since then my family has trained as Competent Crew and we bareboat chartered in the Ionian in 2011 & Croatia in 2014 having an outstanding time. I’ve competed in all the Round the Island races since 2011 (skippering in 2014 & 2017) and vow to enter in each of my remaining years. I'm a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore.
We spent the morning and afternoon sailing on the Solent practicing man over board drills under sail. Then sailed up Southampton Water for tea and pilotage planning at 4pm.
We’ve just come into Gosport after 5.5 hours night sailing. Starting from the River Ichen, down Southampton Water, up to Hamble and back again then out onto the Solent back to home base.
The river work was quite tense due to large number of moving vessels and difficulty identifying lights with so many shore lights to confuse.
On the Solent we were far more isolated and sailing was very relaxed plus with clear skies the stars very visible.
Great day (again) sailing. Anchor practice lead us to lunch in the Beaulieu after sailing from Yarmouth.
Wind was too strong for man over board drills under sail but we could at least practice helming and picking up in conditions (25kts) too strong otherwise.
Finished at Port Hamble Marina where we berthed and found time for 3 pints of Guiness at the Bugle.
After a very sedate cruise up the Beaulieu River to Bucklers Hard we found some proper wind back on the Solent. Tacked all the way across to Yarmouth passing Roman Abramovich’s old superyacht ‘Grande Bleu’- which has a 75′ yacht and a motor yacht on top of the back of it – yes on it!
Moored alongside the town quay after this lovely approach.
